Xbox Live comes with two levels of subscriptions. One being the basic Silver level which is free but with limited features, while the Gold premium level requires a paid subscription. Every new Xbox 360 includes a one month subscription to Xbox Live Gold if the player is new to Xbox Live (new account). To continue the Gold membership level the user either pays with a credit card through the Xbox 360 or may purchase one of the pre-paid Gold subscription cards available at retail stores.

If users associate a credit card with their Xbox Live account, when the current subscription ends, it is renewed automatically by default. When this occurs, a notification e-mail is sent to the e-mail address registered for the account. In order to cancel or change automatic renewal, users are required to phone a customer service number or by visiting https://billing.microsoft.com, as cancellations cannot be made directly from the console. This procedure has been criticized by some users, particularly with respects to requests made by customer service operators concerning the reasons for cancellation.